Clasp construction



Filed April 25, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1950 E. PRESTINARI ETAL 2,518,716

CLASP CONSTRUCTION INVENT as Eu en Pres I/HCLI'L BY ohn E Sand g- 5 1950 E. PRESTINARI ETAL 2,518,716

CLASP CONSTRUCTION I T1 E Filed April 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Z 6 we 22 INVENTORS [6c Eugen Presiqnam l6d BY John 1 Sand )6 33 20 Z/c \/0 mo :parts throughout the Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFliCE *CLA'SP CONSTRUCTION v :Eugen Prestinari, Summit, andJohn F. Sand, 7

Newark, N. J., assignors (to Gemex Company, Union,'N. J a corporation ofNewJerse'y Application April '25, 194-6, SerialNo. 664,818

This inventionrelates to a bracelet connecting device and more particularly, to a safety catch construction for use with such a device.

Oneofthe objects of this invention is to provide a thoroughlypractical, economical and eni- .cient bracelet connecting device having a safety "catch. vAnother object is to provideja device of the above character in which the possibility of accidental opening of the connecting device is reduced to an absolute minimum. Anotherobject is to provide a device of the above character which may be operated with ease and without discomfort. Qther objects willbe in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations 10f elements, and arrangements of'parts as Will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown oneof the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of theconnecting device as assembled on the opposite ends orthe .watch'bracelet; V

Figure 2 islan explodedpersnective View of the cover member of the connecting device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the actuating lever of the connecting device;

1 position; 7

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional viewaof the connecting device with the safety catch in a -locked.position and the cover in an unlocked or upper position;

Figure 8. is a longitudinal sectional viewofathe connecting device with the .cover and safety catch in the unlocked position; and

Figure 9 is atransverse sectional View .taken -along.the line 99 ofFigure 6. I

Similar reference characters frefer to similar several views of the 'drawings.

.Asconducive to a clearerunderstanding-of certainoi the structural features described herein, it should be pointed out that existing connecting devices of the general character described Many of these devices do not J include any 3 Claims. 24241) the housing or fully described hereinafter.

means'for assuring that the safety catch will be inadvertently, and still anotherdifficulty is the fact. that these safety catches are hard to operate.

'It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above difiiculties in a practical manner. Referring novv'to the drawingsin detail, the

center catch or clasp,vgenerally'indicated at l0:

in-Figurel,includes the sections H and i2 cone structed in any well known manner to be secured to the ends l3 and M of a watch bracelet or the :like; 'The clasp I-Bhasa'top'cover l5 whichv may be snapped into the lockedposition'to hold theend section orlink I2 in locked position. Additionally, there is a safety-catch included inthe clasp If) .to further lock the parts in position against accidental unlocking, all as will be more As best'shown in Figures 5 and 6, the end section it isfcrmed'into :a channel-shaped housing member 56, the cover lEbeing pivoted thereto at'itsfree end by way ofa pin'connected to the upstandingears i611 and [6b of the "housing part 16. The housing part has upstandinglongitudinal sidewalls :ltc and id and inturned flanges or overhanging por 'tions lBe and H5) at the upper edges of the Walls.= Apair of oppositely disposed transversely aligned notches "5g and 18h are formed. in the walls'lfic :and Hid of the housing part adjacent its free end.

The'notches lBg and !6h are large enough to provide a seat to receive the cross bar I 8 forming the front end of the end section l2. .tion 112 isal'so provided; with an opening I-9 adjacent'thecross bari it so that the end section I2 'may'be-slippedoverthe cover l 5 when in its open End secor upper position, as 'shown'in Figure 8. Theresition to open the bracelet. Accordinglya separate locking device or a secondary locking 'arrangement is important, particularly wherethe bracelet is expensive; for example, Where it is used to support awatch. I

A safety catch, generallydndicated at 26 (Figures 4 and '6) is slidably mounted in the housing part It;

The catch '26 includes'a bar having side walls'2fia and wofitting against the side walls 1 and -l6d of the housing part "I 6.

Catch bar 20 has an L-shaped projection 290 at one end thereof providing 2. lug projecting toward the free end of member 6 with its horizontal undersurface 20d spaced sufiiciently above the bottom edges of the notches 18g and 6h to allow clearance for the cross bar 58 as shown in Figure 6.

The top side 20a of the catch 20 slants downwardly to provide a cam surface for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Accordingly, the catch may slide in the housing part to a position where it will retain the cross bar is of the end section I2 locked within the housing part and, more particularly, in the notches I69 and IE7. The catch may also be slid in the opposite direction to the position shown in Figure 8, where all parts are in the open position for removal of the end section I2.

To move the catch 20 in either direction, there is provided a lever part generally indicated at 2| (Figure 3), pivotally mounted between the side walls I60 and Kid of the housing part by a pin 22 (Figures and 6), extending into the side walls of the housing part. The pin 22 is immediately above the side walls a and 28b of the catch and serves to hold the catch in its sliding position within the housing part. A pair of ears 2 la. and 2"; extend toward each other from the main body portion of the lever member and are joined at their extremities in any desired manner to form the operating end 2 le of the lever. The ears and end He form a lever arm which extends into the opening 28) in the bottom of the catch 20 and through an opening 23 in the bottom of the housing part [6.

As shown in Figure 3, the upper end portion 2 id of the lever 2| is rounded so that it forms a tab which may be easily operated with the fingernail;- This end 2 Id fits flush with the in-turned flanges We and I (if of the housing member when the parts are in the closed position.

To close the catch, the cover [5 may be brought down from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 6, during which operation the lever member 2| pivots to move the looking member in a left-hand direction to lock the cross bar until the parts assume the position shown in Figure 6. Of course, the lever member 2| may be moved independently of the cover member if desired.

To open the catch, it is merely necessary to raise the cover l5 to the position shown in Figure 8; the parts may then assume either of the positions of Figures '7 and 8. If one desires to remove the end section I2, the lever 2| may be raised to the position shown in Figure 8. The parts will then remain open for the release or reception of the end section.

The end section I2 may also be inserted when the catch or look member 2a is in the left-hand or closed position shown in Figure '7. When this is done, the bar It engages the cam surface 20e of the catch 20, and further downward movement slides the catch to the unlocked position shown in Figure 8. This may be done with the cover [5 or independently thereof.

It is to be noted that the two locking mechanisms, i. e., the cover member l5 and the catch 20 with associated parts are independent of each other except during a locking operation. More particularly, when the safety catch mechanism is in the locked position with the catch 20 in the position shown in Figures 6 and "I, the position of the cover member or its movement from one position to another cannot move the safety catch. V

.4 It is only when the cover is moved to the locked position that it helps lock the safety catch. Unlocking the cover cannot change the position of the safety catch and hence cannot contribute to an accidental unlocking of the clasp.

The structural detail of the cover l5 can best be understood from a consideration of Figures 2, 8 and 9. The cover comprises an outer or top portion 24 and an inner portion 25. The outer portion 24 includes a collar 24a formed at one end thereof and a pair of longitudinal side walls 241) and 240. The end of the outer portion opposite the collar 24a is bent back upon itself to form a rounded end portion 2401.

The inner portion 25 includes a pair of upstanding cars 2511. and 25b formed at one end thereof and a vertically disposed lip 250 at the opposite end thereof. The inner portion 25 fits between the side walls 24b and 240 of the outer portion with the ears 25a and 25b in registry with the collar 24a. The lip 250 extends vertically substantially from the rounded portion 24d. The inner portion 25 is held in position by the extending lugs 24c (Figures 8 and 9), extending inwardly from the side walls 24b and 240.

The inner portion 25 is resilient so that the lip .250 may snap over the cross bar I67 of the housing part IS. The outer portion may be made from sturdier stock to withstand hard usage. By making the cover IS in two pieces in the manner described, the various manufacturing processes may be simplified considerably, resulting in greater economy and a far superior construction.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a thoroughly practical clasp construction in which the several objects hereinabovehave been successfully carried out.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A clasp comprising a channel-shaped member having a bottom and side walls and adapted for attachment at one end to a bracelet or the like, said side walls having aligned notches adjacent the other and free end of said member providing a seat for receiving a link to be clasped, a catch slidable lengthwise in said member comprising a bar slidable on the bottom of said member provided with 9. lug projecting toward the free end of said member and spaced above the bottom of said seat, said catch being slidable toward said free end of said member to a locking position wherein said lug is engageable over a link seated in said seat and away from said free end of said member to a, retracted position clearing the seat for removal of the link, a lever pivoted between the side walls of said member on a pivot located above said sliding bar and comprising an arm extending down from the pivot toward and having a connection with the bar and a fingernail tab above the pivot so angularly related to the arm that when the tab is swung upward from said member the arm moves the catch to retracted position, and when the tab is swung down toward said member the arm moves the catch to locking position, a cover for the open side of said member pivoted at said free end of said member, and means on the cover cooperable with said member for releasably latching the cover in position closing the open side of said member and holding down the fingernail tab, said cover, in moving from open to closed position, being adapted to engage the fingernail tab, if up, and swing it downward thereby to move the catch to locking position.

2. A clasp comprising a channel-shaped member having a bottom and side walls and adapted for attachment at one end to a bracelet or the like, said side Walls having aligned notches adj acent the other and free end of said member providing a seat for receiving a link to be clasped, a catch slidable lengthwise in said member comprising a bar slidable on the bottom of said member provided with a lug projecting toward the free end of said member and spaced above the bottom of said seat, said catch being slidable toward said free end of said member to a locking position wherein said lug is engageable over a link seated in said seat and away from said free end of said member to a retracted position clearing the seat for removal of the link, a lever pivoted between the side walls of said member on a pivot in located above and holding down said sliding bar and comprising an arm extending down from the pivot through an opening in the bar and an opening in the bottom of said member and having a fingernail tab above the pivot so angularly related to the arm that when the tab is swung upward from said member the arm moves the catch to retracted position,- and when the tab is swung down toward said member the arm moves the catch to locking position, a cover for the open side of said member pivoted at said free end of said member, and means on the cover cooperable with said member for releasably latching the cover in position closing the open side of said member and holding down the fingernail tab, said cover, in moving from open to closed position, being adapted to engage the fingernail tab, if up, and swing it downward thereby to move the catch to locking position.

3. A clasp comprising a channel-shaped member having a bottom and side walls and adapted for attachment at one end to a bracelet or the like, said side walls having aligned notches adjacent the other and free end of said member providing a seat for receiving a link to be clasped and being formed with inturned flanges at their upper edges toward said one end of said member,

a catch slidable lengthwise in said member comprising a bar slidable on the bottom of said member provided with a lug projecting toward the free end of said member and spaced above the bottom of said seat, said catch being slidable toward said free end of said member to a locking position wherein said lug is engageable over a link seated in said seat and away from said free end of said member to a retracted position clearing the seat for removal of the link, a lever pivoted between the side walls of said member on a pivot located above said sliding bar and comprising an arm extending down from the pivot toward and having a connection with the bar and a fingernail tab above the pivot engageable with said flanges and so angularly related to the arm that when the tab is swung upward from said flanges the arm moves the catch to retracted position, and when the tab is swung down against the flanges the arm moves the catch to locking position, a cover for the open side of said member pivoted at said free end of said member, and means on the cover cooperable with said member for releasably latching the cover in position closing the open side of said member and holding down the fingernail tab against said flanges, said cover, in moving from open to closed position, being adapted to engage the fingernail tab, if up, and swing it downward thereby to move the catch to locking position.

EUGEN PRESTINARI. JOHN F. SAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,058,957 Dalo Oct. 27, 1936 2,086,450 Tost July 6, 1937 2,141,251 Prestinari Dec. 27, 1938 2,148,534 Coham et al Feb. 28, 1939 2,186,438 Weiner Jan. 9, 1940 2,211,018 Levine Aug. 13, 1940 2,357,882 Domler Sept. 12, 1944 2,369,724 Domler Feb. 20, 1945 

